Spain urges EU to create joint army amid Greenland dispute

Spain is urging the EU to move towards creating a joint army for the bloc as a deterrence measure, Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said in comments to Reuters on Wednesday ahead of a day of meetings in Davos.

The region should focus first on bringing together its tangible assets to properly integrate its defence industry, and then mobilising a coalition of the willing, the foreign minister said.

The concern over whether European citizens would be willing to assemble militarily is a “legitimate debate”, but the chance of assembling a critical mass was higher as a bloc than on a national level, Albares said, adding: “A joint effort would be more efficient than 27 separate national armies.”

The comments come ahead of an emergency meeting between EU leaders later on Thursday in Brussels to coordinate a joint response to U.S. President Trump’s threats to buy or annex Greenland. A Council spokesperson confirmed late on Wednesday the meeting will still take place despite Trump's announcement on social media that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had “formed the framework of a deal," according to Reuters.